OK, now that it’s been two weeks since this was in the paper:
With four members on their way home from China, one under the weather and a sixth with a scheduling conflict, Richland County Council couldn’t hold its regular meeting Tuesday.
Chairman Paul Livingston said he couldn’t remember another instance in his 19 years on the council when a meeting was canceled because not enough members showed up.
Absent were Joyce Dickerson, Norman Jackson, Damon Jeter and Gwendolyn Davis Kennedy. They went on a nine-day trip to China with the Greater Columbia Chamber of Commerce.
Councilman Jim Manning called in sick and Kelvin Washington had to work, Livingston said.
“I know folks can sometimes have a legitimate reason for not attending,” the chairman said, “but, still, it’s embarrassing not to have a quorum.”
After waiting about 20 minutes, he canceled the meeting. The 211-page agenda listed 40 items of business.
… I’ll go ahead and ask the question: What were these four council members (one of whom was voted out of office for an unjustifiable junket to Hawaiit, but was inexplicably returned to the council by voters in the last election) doing in China?
Anybody who knows the answer, please speak up. Maybe the explanation has been published somewhere, and I missed it.
Related Posts
Eco devo?
Don’t know why they were there but if it prevents a county council meeting that would be a good thing. That would keep them from passing some stupid resolution(s). Can we send the SC general assembly to China?
It’s called a junket. It’s a “perk” of being a government employee. Travel on someone else’s dime for one of two purposes: get a free vacation (see all the Dept. of Ed meetings at beach locations) or get connected to people/organizations that want something in return.
I’m outraged. China? Come to Hawaii!
Haier appliances are made somewhere around here–that’s a Chinese company.
They make mini-fridges–dorm fridges, wine fridges….among others…
Nothing wrong with learning how folks do things elsewhere. Sometimes they can improve things back home. Even in Caroline de Sud.
Burl,
The we should expect a full report from all the travelers explaining what they learned, right?
Alors!
M. Burlingame–if that is indeed your real name– ‘ow can you say such things! Oui do everyting zhoos parfait ‘ere in Columbia. Ah don’t want to talk to you no more, you empty headed animal food trough wiper. Ah fart in your general direction. Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries.
Zoot alors, mon dieu!
Doug, absolutely. Like kids writing reports on their field trips.